Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ThatiPhoneKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2017
984
665
I always apply hand sanitiser to my hands but I’m worried this could be damaging my iPhone? I always make sure the hand sanitiser has dried before I start using my iPhone but am wondering if frequently using hand sanitiser, although dry, cause damage to the materials of my iPhone? Thank you
 
I always apply hand sanitiser to my hands but I’m worried this could be damaging my iPhone? I always make sure the hand sanitiser has dried before I start using my iPhone but am wondering if frequently using hand sanitiser, although dry, cause damage to the materials of my iPhone? Thank you

It will protect the phone from viruses that could do things like steal your password.
 
I always apply hand sanitiser to my hands but I’m worried this could be damaging my iPhone? I always make sure the hand sanitiser has dried before I start using my iPhone but am wondering if frequently using hand sanitiser, although dry, cause damage to the materials of my iPhone? Thank you
I'd rather protect my health than protect the screen on my phone. So yes I spray alcohol, rub hand sanitizers as needed and I have no issues. Not so much these days as I work from home but before, I'd come home and spray alcohol. I look forward to the day when this is no longer necessary.
 
No it won’t damage the phone as long as you aren’t squirting the hand sanitizer on the phone itself. Put it on your hand and you’ll be fine.
 
I accidentally squirted some sanitizer gel on my ipad air 3 screen yesterday, and it was quite hard to fully wipe off. I suspect that the alcohol may have burned into the oleophobic coating slightly, but i hope im wrong 😟.
 
I accidentally squirted some sanitizer gel on my ipad air 3 screen yesterday, and it was quite hard to fully wipe off. I suspect that the alcohol may have burned into the oleophobic coating slightly, but i hope im wrong 😟.
Hand sanitisers have oils etc included, which smears. Just get a damp microfibre cloth and slightly dampen then dry. I do it all the time at work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: snipr125
I’ve been washing my iPhone a few times a day. Not kidding, once in a few hand washes, usually when I get back home or into the office, I soap up my hands, and then apply some of that watered down soap to the iPhone, staying half an inch away from the speaker hole. I then wash it off with a gentle stream of water (again, making sure that no water goes directly into the speaker holes but if it runs over it I’m not worried).

Given the water tightness rating of the recent iphones and the various submersion tests I’ve seen, I’m not that worried about a little bit of water, and I haven’t had an issue in the 6 months I’ve been doing this.

Of course this should come with the usual disclaimers that Apple doesn’t warranty against water damage and the phone’s water tightness could be impacted by things like drops etc. Do this at your own risk.
 
I accidentally squirted some sanitizer gel on my ipad air 3 screen yesterday, and it was quite hard to fully wipe off. I suspect that the alcohol may have burned into the oleophobic coating slightly, but i hope im wrong 😟.

Yeah, that’s bad. If the sanitizer damaged the coating, you’re always going to see a circular spot where the sanitizer in that specific place. It shouldn’t damage the actual display, but most definitely the coating will be tarnished, which you will have some uneven wear, unless you have the coating completely reestablished on the display, but that’s not something I would personally do myself, there are third-party stores that will do that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: snipr125
I always apply hand sanitiser to my hands but I’m worried this could be damaging my iPhone? I always make sure the hand sanitiser has dried before I start using my iPhone but am wondering if frequently using hand sanitiser, although dry, cause damage to the materials of my iPhone? Thank you

You have nothing to worry about.
 
If you’re worried about hand sanitizer, just use soap and hot water. It’s more effective anyway

I doubt that sanitizers do any serious damage, but most of them include fragrances and other unnecessary stuff that leave my hands feeling sticky.
 
I always apply hand sanitiser to my hands but I’m worried this could be damaging my iPhone? I always make sure the hand sanitiser has dried before I start using my iPhone but am wondering if frequently using hand sanitiser, although dry, cause damage to the materials of my iPhone? Thank you

It shouldn't be a problem, not if your hands are already dry by the time you start manipulating your phone.


I'd rather protect my health than protect the screen on my phone. So yes I spray alcohol, rub hand sanitizers as needed and I have no issues. Not so much these days as I work from home but before, I'd come home and spray alcohol. I look forward to the day when this is no longer necessary.

My exact sentiment. First my health, then my phone. I'm on my second phone this year and I still clean it thoroughly with alcohol (wipes and/or spray) daily. From time to time I still wash it on the faucet.


I’ve been washing my iPhone a few times a day. Not kidding, once in a few hand washes, usually when I get back home or into the office, I soap up my hands, and then apply some of that watered down soap to the iPhone, staying half an inch away from the speaker hole. I then wash it off with a gentle stream of water (again, making sure that no water goes directly into the speaker holes but if it runs over it I’m not worried).

Given the water tightness rating of the recent iphones and the various submersion tests I’ve seen, I’m not that worried about a little bit of water, and I haven’t had an issue in the 6 months I’ve been doing this.

Of course this should come with the usual disclaimers that Apple doesn’t warranty against water damage and the phone’s water tightness could be impacted by things like drops etc. Do this at your own risk.

Be warned, I did the exact same thing, being overly cautions at first to not get it all wet, and quite sloppy after a few months even to the point of rinsing it completely directly in the open faucet. The phone (a XS about a year and a half old already when I started washing it daily) gave out after about 2 months.
 
Last edited:
I would be careful whatever you decide to. Before the rona, I would wipe down my phone with a cleansing wipe after the gym. I did this daily for about 2 years until I discovered that my ear speaker in my iPhone X is malfunctioning. I can barely hear anyone on the other end so I have to make calls using speaker.

I was going to get it fixed by Apple but the closest store is an hour away and by now, I plan on upgrading this fall. With that in mind, I will be more careful when cleaning my phone and avoiding the ear speaker.
 
Why not use a sanitizer without alcohol? Like benzalkonium chloride? I wipe my phone, which is cased/with a tempered glass protector, with sanitizing wipes that use benzalkonium chloride instead of alcohol so as not to be touching my phone with solvents.
 
Why not use a sanitizer without alcohol? Like benzalkonium chloride? I wipe my phone, which is cased/with a tempered glass protector, with sanitizing wipes that use benzalkonium chloride instead of alcohol so as not to be touching my phone with solvents.
Unfortunately that appears to be much less effective as far as its disinfecting properties go.
 
Last edited:
Why not use a sanitizer without alcohol?

Have you paid attention to the consumer market for sanitizer lately? There’s actually not very many options that you would have that would be without alcohol, let alone Actually finding any sanitizer at all in some areas. That’s partially been due to recalls and shortages.

Either way, it’s probably more of a materialistic finish reaction regardless of which brand.
 
at least 70% alcohol is what is scientifically known to kill the virus, so I wouldn't mess with trying out any other type of alcohol alternative. Sanitizers are plentiful now in the big cities.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cdcastillo
I think Apple has confirmed that 70% alcohol is safe for iPhones as long as it's not sprayed on. I use alcohol wipes on mine all the time.
 
months even to the point of rinsing it completely directly in the open faucet. The phone (a XS about a year and a half old already when I started washing it daily) gave out after about 2 months.
I’ve been doing this for 6 months now with no issue, are you sure that your phone malfunctioned because of water damage? Have you dropped it which could impact its water tightness? the iPhones are meant to survive under water, I don’t see how a gentle wash would destroy them as long as you don’t spray water directly into their openings.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.